Current Trends
Perceptions about Sexual Behavior: Findings from a National
Sex Knowledge Survey -- United States, 1989

Perceptions of specific risk behaviors for sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs) can influence socially accepted
norms of sexual behavior and knowledge of STD risk among
different demographic groups. This report summarizes findings
from a national survey (conducted by The Kinsey Institute for
Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction at Indiana
University) that addressed perceptions regarding the
prevalence of high-risk sexual behaviors (1).

During October 14-20, 1989, a multistage, stratified,
probability sample of 1974 U.S. adults (persons greater than
or equal to 18 years of age) were interviewed in their homes
by a private polling organization. Respondents were asked six
questions in face-to-face interviews and 12 questions by
anonymous, self-administered questionnaires in the presence of
the interviewers. In the face-to-face interview, participants
were asked to estimate the age at which the "average or
typical American" first has sexual intercourse and to estimate
the proportion of married men who have had an "extramarital
affair." The self-administered questionnaire included items on
the prevalence of heterosexual anal intercourse and male
homosexual behavior. Refusal rates for the interview questions
(Table 1, questions 1 and 2) were less than 1%, and for the
self-administered questionnaire (Table 1, questions 3 and 4),
14%.

Most respondents (62% (95% confidence interval (CI)=plus or
minus 2)) believed the "typical American" has first sexual
intercourse at or before 15 years of age (Table 1, question
1). Women (29% (95% CI=plus or minus 3)) were more likely than
men (21% (95% CI=plus or minus 3)) to believe the age at first
intercourse was less than or equal to 13 years (p less than
0.05). Persons who were younger, reported lower income, or
claimed less formal education consistently estimated younger
ages at first intercourse (Figure 1, Table 1). More black
respondents (41% (95% CI=plus or minus 7)) than white
respondents (23% (95% CI=plus or minus 2)) estimated younger
ages at first sexual intercourse (less than or equal to 13
years; p less than 0.05).

Half the respondents believed that greater than or equal to
50% of married men have had an "extramarital affair" (Table 1,
question 2). Women (25% (95% CI=plus or minus 3)) were more
likely than men (17% (95% CI=plus or minus 2)) and blacks (33%
(95% CI=plus or minus 6)) were more likely than whites (19%
(95% CI=plus or minus 2)) to estimate that a high percentage
of married men (greater than or equal to 70%) have had an
"extramarital affair." Respondents with lower income (26% (95%
CI=plus or minus 3) vs. 18% (95% CI=plus or minus 3)) and with
less formal education (26% (95% CI=plus or minus 4) vs. 22%
(95% CI=plus or minus 3) vs. 18% (95% CI=plus or minus 3))
were more likely to estimate this behavior to be this
prevalent. Separated and divorced respondents (34% (95%
CI=plus or minus 7)) were the most likely to estimate this
high prevalence, followed by single (24% (95% CI=plus or minus
4)) and married (18% (95% CI=plus or minus 2)) respondents.

More than one third (37% (95% CI=plus or minus 2))
estimated that less than or equal to 20% of U.S. women have
ever had anal intercourse (Table 1, question 3); 28% (95%
CI=plus or minus 2) indicated "don't know." Respondents
estimating that greater than or equal to 30% of U.S. women
have had anal intercourse were more likely to be 18-44 years
of age (43% (95% CI=plus or minus 3) vs. 24% (95% CI=plus or
minus 3)), unmarried (except widowed) (45% (95% CI=plus or
minus 4) vs. 34% (95% CI=plus or minus 3)), or black (43% (95%
CI=plus or minus 7) vs. 34% (95% CI=plus or minus 3)). A
"don't know" response was 2.4 times more likely from
respondents aged greater than or equal to 60 years (48% (95%
CI=plus or minus 5)) than from those aged 18-44 years (20%
(95% CI=plus or minus 2)); 1.4 times more likely from those
without a high school diploma (34% (95% CI=plus or minus 5))
than from those with some college education (24% (95% CI=plus
or minus 3)); 1.3 times more likely from those reporting an
annual income less than $25,000 (30% (95% CI=plus or minus
4)); and 1.3 times more likely from women (31% (95% CI=plus or
minus 3)).

When asked if 25% of U.S. men have had a homosexual
experience, 36% of respondents (95% CI=plus or minus 2)
answered "don't know" (Table 1, question 4). This response was
most common among those widowed (52% (95% CI=plus or minus
8)), aged greater than or equal to 60 years (47% (95% CI=plus
or minus 5)), black (41% (95% CI=plus or minus 7)), and
without a high school diploma (40% (95% CI=plus or minus 5)).
Of the remaining 64% of respondents, two thirds estimated that
less than 25% of U.S. men have had a homosexual experience.
Reported by: JM Reinisch, PhD, CA Hill, PhD, M Ziemba-Davis,
SA Sanders, PhD, The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex,
Gender, and Reproduction, Indiana Univ, Bloomington, Indiana.
The Roper Organization, New York City. Behavioral Studies Br,
Div of STD/HIV Prevention, Center for Prevention Svcs, CDC.

Editorial Note

Editorial Note:

Collection of information on perceptions, knowledge, and
behavior is difficult. Because race, education, and income are
correlated and blacks were not oversampled, the results in
this report that are related to these variables should be
interpreted cautiously. Some groups, such as teenagers, have
higher rates of certain risk behaviors for STD transmission
and high rates of STDs (2). The data in this report suggest
that the perception that certain high-risk behaviors are more
prevalent is also more common in some groups. These
perceptions may reinforce continued practice of these
high-risk behaviors.

Disseminating accurate data from surveys of sexual behavior
can assist in changing perceptions of norms regarding
high-risk sexual behaviors. The dissemination of such
information represents a potential intervention by providing
alternative perceptions that could lead to changes in
behavioral expectations, expectations about what is acceptable
to others, and risky behavior.

References

Reinisch JM, Beasley R. The Kinsey Institute new report on
sex: what you must know to be sexually literate. New York: St.
Martin's Press, 1990:1-26.

DisclaimerAll MMWR HTML documents published before January 1993 are electronic conversions from ASCII text into HTML. This conversion may have resulted in character translation or format errors in the HTML version. Users should not rely on this HTML document, but are referred to the original MMWR paper copy for the official text, figures, and tables. An original paper copy of this issue can be obtained from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402-9371; telephone: (202) 512-1800. Contact GPO for current prices.

**Questions or messages regarding errors in formatting should be addressed to mmwrq@cdc.gov.